Memories Never Forgotten
by spirited-dreamer
Summary: One day a girl who's lost her memory and holding nothing but a katana with a single Crimson Lotus engraved into the sheath walks into Kenshin's life. Who is she, and why does she stir up his memories?
1. Fighting for

_Heyy! Does anyone remember me?_)_ well if you do, you miiight remember that I said I'd do a full metal alchemist fic next, but I changed my mind since I haven't finished watching that series yet. SO, that is why we have a Rurouni Kenshin fic here. I think it's quite different from my first fic. Of course that one was started like…iunno how long ago… about two years? " righto…aaanyways… I have watched the whole series for kenshin… but… I've forgotten a lot of it. Yes… so don't mind any errors I may have. I apologize for them beforehand. Hm.. .and most of my stories always include the original characters + a new one.. yes, so all the characters here are copyright to the creator of Rurouni Kenshin, except for Yukari._

oh, just for reference notes, this opening is right before kenshin kills tomoe's fiancee and meets tomo and etc. yadda yadda, but after this it'll be during kenshin's beginning with Kaoru (whichever arc that is o.o'' i'm not sure '')

_Enjoy everyone  
...  
_...  
...

Chapter 1: Fighting For…

The rain poured down relentlessly from the gray skies. Unceasingly.

The sound of blades clashing rang into the night.

There was a boy who looked about sixteen with crimson hair tied in a high ponytail. He was wearing a deep blue hakama, occasionally interrupted by darker spots; spatters of blood; his violet eyes narrowed in cold concentration. This young man was known as Hitokiri Battousai.

Again his blade clashed with another, sending showers of sparks into the air.

There was a girl who looked about the same age as the Battousai. She was battling fiercely against this famed opponent, her warm brown eyes enflamed in a passionate determination. Her ebony hair had come undone during their battle and upon her dark crimson-purple hakama was even more blood than the Battousai.

The two moved agilely. Swiftly. So quick all that could be seen of them were a blur of crimson and blue and the flashes of light of their katanas as they arced down to meet one another in battle. It was evident that the Battousai had the upper hand in the battle.

The rain drummed down on the two, soaking their clothes, their hair, drenching them. Their clothes hung limply, trying to impede their movements, but they fought relentlessly on despite it all.

The darkness deepened as time continued. Blood was on the ground where they fought. Their bloody battlefield.

The time they had been fighting lengthened and both were beginning to tire, but the toll of the fight showed more heavily on the girl who was, by now, panting for breath.

"Stop this foolishness Yukari," said the Battousai, after not having spoken for a few hours already, "you can not beat me."

She stood still, eyes cast to the blood splattered ground, as if in defeat. Each of the Battousai's words echoed in her mind, and she almost let down her sword.

_"Neh, oneesan, come back soon," a little girl waved, with a cheery smile on her face._

_"Oneesan, I'm hungry, can I have some rice?" A skinny little boy begged._

_"Oneesan, you're the best," chanted the 3 other girls and boys. All of them were like skin and bones, surviving on the few morsels they manage to scavenge every day, yet they smiled with confidence at their eldest sister._

_In a dark shadowed room, an older man spoke, "Kill Hitokiri Battousai and I shall support your family," he paused for the instructions to sink in, "if you fail, you're all as good as dead."_

_Yukari protested, "I don't kill people with my techniques, I don't kill with my sword."_

_"Do you want to save your family or not? Kill him, or I shall dispose of your family."_

Yukari's reverie was broken as the Battousai took advantage of the situation and lunged at her. She managed to dodge just in time, only receiving a light cut on her arm. She cursed her foolishness in a battle situation, and in a moment realized the senselessness in everything of these days. The fighting, the killing she had seen and the pain it caused. Yukari looked up at the Battousai, his violet eyes gleaming in the moonlight, his cold, unfeeling expression.

In a sudden rush of fury she charged at the Battousai. Their katanas clashed and they held in that position, their swords trembling slightly as both of their hands shook with the tension of the clash. A passionate rage was etched into her every feature as she stared at the Battousai, "What are you fighting for? How can you kill so many people with that expression on your face? Don't you even feel _guilty _for killing them all!"

The Battousai looked at her slightly surprised, since he had never really had a conversation during a fight. He had usually disposed of his opponents much quicker before… but this was Yukari, someone he had known before, back when he was still training with his master. Someone he hadn't seen for a long time. Someone… he was a little… unwilling to kill.

"I fight for a new era," he said clearly, as if that ended the conversation.

"But what about yourself?" she insisted, "What about a new era is so good that you must take away all these lives?"

He retorted almost angrily as he slowly forced Yukari back, "Open your eyes and look at the people who suffer! A new era will bring an end to this."

Yukari forcefully pushed back towards him and succeeded in forcing him back a step, "Who are you to talk about suffering?" she snarled, "You are fighting for nothing. An idea, a dream, a distant future!" Her eyes were noticeably shiny as tears threatened to form.

"Do you know why I'm fighting?" her voice raising hysterically with a bitter tone, "I'm fighting for lives of my family! If I don't kill you, those damn officials will kill them!" She was weeping freely now, as she forced the Battousai back step after step, "If I lose them, I will no longer have any reason to live."

A violent sweep of the sword and the Battousai leaped aside; evidently flustered at he was hearing. He stared at her for a while, swaying on his feet. She staggered towards him with a dogged determination.

"Come back here Battousai! I will bring back your god-forsaken head! I NEED to. Chizuno, Kyo, Ayume, Mai, Akito… they're all waiting for me. They're depending on me. I can't let them down. I … I can't… go back to them if I don't succeed."

She stumbled over a puddle of water in her exhaustion and sank to her knees; a fallen figure in the rain. Yukari reached towards him, tears pouring down her face, indistinguishable from the rain, her voice was now begging, "Please…Kenshin… I know it's you… please…"

The Battousai took a couple steps back, turned, and fled. Fleeing the voice that had risen to a scream, "COME BACK KENSHIN! FIGHT ME! KILL ME! ANYTHING! YOU CAN'T JUST LEAVE ME HERE! KENSHIN!"

But he ran and ran like he had never before, running from the voice that called his name.  
...  
...  
...  
..  
...  
...  
...  
...  
...  
...  
...

Well… kinda short opening chapter again, but it's just an opening '' so hey. SO! What did you all think? I'd like to know your opinions. : ) yes I do.

Spirit+


	2. Echoes of a Past Life

_Rightoo, I need somebody's help! Why won't the lil squiggly lines ever show up? I use them as dividers but noooo, they don't show up! Help me! _

_XD anyways yes, next chapter, let's see what happens now shall we?_

_Enjoy everyone!_

* * *

Chapter 2: Echoes of a Past Life

A red-haired man lowered himself into the bathtub. His crimson red hair tied in a low ponytail and sporting a cross shaped scar on his left cheek. His name… was Kenshin Himura. He sighed inwardly as he soaked in the warm steamy bath. He had just finished cooking, cleaning the dojo, and doing the laundry. _You'd think that living with four other people, I should be working less._ His thoughts drifted lazily to the people he now lived with.

Kaoru, an orphaned girl and sensei of the Kamiya Dojo. Someone who had accepted him for who he was and didn't care where he came from or who he was. Someone who helped him begin a new life.

Then there was Yahiko, the young boy whom they had helped escape the service of a band of thieves. He was a lively, active kid and bickered daily with either Kaoru or Sanosuke, leaving not a single minute of peace and quiet.

Sanosuke was once a fighter for hire. When they first met Sanosuke was bent on defeating Kenshin for his service as the Battousai, but as time went on, things began to change as Sanosuke learned more about himself and Kenshin. Now they could even pass as friends.

The newest member of their lot was a young doctor named Megumi whom they had helped recently to escape the snare of the crime lord who was forcing her to make opium. A drug that caused death when as a doctor, she wanted to heal. Now she worked as the town doctor, helping not only Kenshin and company, but the townspeople as well.

The five made an interesting lot to say the least.

The sun shone down through the window its light reflected on something. Kenshin turned towards the glint. It was his katana. It was a strange sword and not many people see this kind. It was Kenshin's reverse blade sword; one that he now used with the vow to never kill again. Killing was when he was Hitokiri Battousai. It was about fifteen years since he had put away that name. Now he was Kenshin Himura, and Kenshin Himura did not kill. Throwing out his old name was like closing a chapter of his life and opening a new; a new peaceful life… not that he could ever truly throw it out.

There had been few incidents where samurai of the revolution came to seek the Battousai that was once the top assassin of the reformist group, Ishin Sishi. Some wanted the title of defeating the famous Hitokiri Battousai, and some wanted revenge for some other personal reason, but overall, life was different now.

Ever since he had arrived at the Kamiya Dojo, he allowed himself to relax more than he had ever before. The steam was rising from the hot water and the nice sky outside made Kenshin drowsy and while contemplating life nowadays, he soon nodded off…

_Running. Running away from something. A haunting voice. Dark. A stifling, damp darkness. Rain falling thickly. Crashing through the trees. Branches tearing at his clothes and scratching his skin. The voice ringing in his ears.  
_

"_Go away_!_" he shouted while his hands clutched his head. He stumbled forward into the darkness, the rain obscuring his vision. He felt numb, completely numb, running forward without knowing where his legs were taking him.  
_

_'Kenshin…' "Shut up. SHUT UP!"_

_A man ran out of a house in front of him. He looked bewildered and worried as he grabbed hold of Kenshin's shoulders, "Kenshin! What's the matter?"  
_

_His eyes focused on the man in front of him, "I couldn't—her… I—kill. I couldn't kill— Yukari… she's here."  
_

_"Yukari… who? Kenshin? You okay?"_

_'Kenshin… I know it's you…Please…'  
_

_His eyes dilated again, and he held his hands over his ears, "SHUT UP DAMNIT!"  
_

_Alarmed, the man started pulling Kenshin inside, "Get yourself together Kenshin. This isn't like you." He half pushed half-dragged Kenshin inside. "Now, you stay here, I'm going to get Iizuka."  
_

_As he left, the voice grew louder.  
_

_'Kenshin! Come back!'  
_

"_No-!"  
_

'_FIGHT ME! KILL ME!'  
_

"_NO! I won't!"  
_

'_ANYTHING!'  
_

"_**SHUT UP**!"  
_

'_Kenshin! KENSHIN! **KENSHIN!**'  
_

"KENSHIN! ARE YOU EVER GONNA COME OUT OF THAT BATH?"

Startled out of his slumber he sunk in the bath and choked on water before he got up and replied, "K-Kaoru?"

"Don't 'K-Kaoru' me Kenshin. You know perfectly well it's me, now how long are you planning to stay in there, did you fall asleep or something?"

"Oro…" Kenshin said nervously, "Ehto… yea… I guess so."

"Well get out of there soon alright? There are people waiting for that tub."

"Yes Miss Kaoru…"

Listening to her retreating footsteps, Kenshin sunk into the bath blowing bubbles in the water. This was the sixth time that had happened this month already, the same dream, always… Kenshin brought his hand to his forehead thinking, "Whose voice was that…? Why was I running…? Iizuka… he was… from the Ishin Shishi."

_Back when he was Battousai…  
_

Kenshin signed again… and thought for a while… then raised himself resolutely out of the bath, "Those days are behind me. From now, it's only the future—"

He was interrupted by the slamming open of the door, as Sanosuke and Yahiko charged in, "GET OUT OF THE BATH ALREADY!"

"Oro!" and a surprised Kenshin was promptly picked up by Sanosuke and kicked out of the bath.

Meanwhile….

Kaoru giggled as she heard Yahiko and Sanosuke's outburst and hearing the thump of Kenshin hitting the ground. She made her way towards their vegetable garden to pick some cabbage for their dinner not looking back. Passing the entranceway of the Kamiya estate, she heard a soft fwump against the door. Kaoru glanced at the door, and hearing no more knocks, she assumed it was her imagination… but her curiosity got the better of her and she walked towards the door.

Pulling the door open, she saw nobody outside. Kaoru peeked left, and right, but nobody seemed to have been near her door. Suddenly she heard a soft moaning from below her. Looking down, her heart seemed to have caught in her throat, and she stumbled backwards, nearly falling to the ground. The basket she held dropped aside and rolled towards the doorway; curving and swerving, finally making its stop near a crimson splattered hand; the crimson of blood.

Kaoru bit back a scream when she saw the hand twitch as the basket hit it and instead quickly shouted, "MEGUMI-SAN! DR. GENZAI! COME QUICKLY!" Calming herself as well as she could, she strode forward to survey the scene. The person lying on the doorsteps seemed was a girl who looked about the same age as Kaoru did herself. Her ebony hair was a mess of tangles and some was matted in blood, and her pale face drenched in sweat as she lay there panting for breath. Kaoru noticed that she wasn't wearing a kimono like most women, but instead had a hakama, similar to Kenshin's but a deeper, darker shade of crimson, like a tinge of purple. Kaoru furrowed her brows in worry, muttering "Why aren't they here yet?"

"SANOSUKE! YAHKO! KENSHIN!" she called out. She turned back towards the girl when she saw Dr. Genzai and Megumi hurrying out of a door. The girl was bleeding profusely from the many cuts on her body. Kaoru walked outside and looked at the dirt road seeing a trail of blood leading to where the girl lay. Her eyes widened in slightly when she saw the door. It looked as if the girl had been sitting there for sometime unable to go on, then finally giving out, had slid to the ground since there was a arc of blood smeared on the door. She looked up when she heard Megumi's horrified gasp as she and Dr. Genzai finally made their way to the girl.

"What in the world happened to her?" Megumi voiced breathlessly.

"We'll talk about that later," interrupted Dr. Genzai, "we have to get her treated first. Sanosuke! Hurry and carry her inside. Yahiko, go get water and boil it. We need to clean her wounds. Megumi, go get the bandages and medicine."

Genzai gave orders quickly as Yahiko and Sanosuke ran towards them.

"Holy shit…" Sanosuke exclaimed as he neared the scene. He quickly bent down and gently picked her up. Something clattered to the ground, but paying no heed, he turned towards Dr. Genzai and asked, "Where did you want her?"

"Take her into one of the rooms, we'll have to make do for now. Most of the cuts look shallow enough but there seems to be some deeper injury I haven't seen for her to bleed so much."

Everyone started back towards the house with their appointed tasks, but a gleam of light caught Kaoru's attention. She looked back towards the entrance and saw a katana lying there slightly unsheathed. Tentatively, she picked up the sword and studied it. The sheath was beautifully polished, a pure black sheath, the sole color being a crimson lotus embossed near the hilt. She drew out the blade slowly. It wasn't a reverse blade like Kenshin's and it had traces of blood as if whoever had used it last didn't take the time or have the time to clean it. But yet, the glint of the sword was alluringly bright and the blade was very very sharp. It was evident whoever had made the sword was a master craftsman. Kaoru gently drew the sword against her finger and was surprised to see a thin trickle of blood appear on her finger, though she didn't feel any pain. "Why would this girl have a sword like this?" she wondered. Kaoru quickly replaced the blade back into its sheath and closed the gate, keeping in mind she'd have to clean it up soon. Holding the katana firmly in her hands she quickly ran to see if there was anything she could do to help out, not aware of a pair of eyes staring after her.

In the shadowy canopy of the tree, a man was watching the scene below with an amused expression on his face. "So," he said while slowly licking off the blood on his sword, "this is where you've flown my little birdie." He smirked, "Excellent." Surveying the scene he saw a man with red hair and a x-shaped scar on his face make his way towards the doctor worriedly. The man hiding in the tree gave a little chuckle of surprise, "Why… it's the Battousai. I never expected to find you here. Perfect… simply perfect." He slid his blade into the sheath and started laughing quietly, but stopped when he saw the Battousai stop suddenly and turn towards him. His eyes were different from they were a moment ago, much colder… 'the eyes of Hitokiri Battousai' he thought excitedly, 'I'll be visiting tonight.' And with that, he vanished.

Kenshin stared directly at the tree where the man was. He was sure someone was there, he could feel the fighter's presence, and soon enough the man seemed to have left because his presence disappeared. Kenshin turned towards the person Dr. Genzai was treating at the moment and back up at the tree. 'Is there a connection between the two?' Shaking the thought out of his head for the moment, he hurried to see what he could do to help, but as the clouds slowly drifted towards the sun and dimmed the light of the sun, he could help but feel that something was going to happen… something that was to his liking at all.

A gust of cold wind blew by, then stopped, leaving everything still and lifeless. The calm before the storm.

* * *

sorry i was editting some parts

Well…longer this time ) didya like it? Hm… I wonder… who can this girl be? stay tuned to see what happens next spirit


	3. Her Name is

Dang, I suck at writing, dunno why I even bother xD I gotta do some AU's one day soon. Anyways 3rd chapter more action, enjoy. Enjoy everyone! 

Chapter 3:

That night everyone worked as hard as they could to help Dr. Genzai and Megumi with the girl's wounds. The two toiled deep into the night to stop the bleeding while Kaoru, Sano, Yahiko, and Kenshin could only wait outside impatiently for what news they would bring.

Yahiko was sitting on the porch swinging his foot back and forth, barely touching the blades of grass below. Hesitantly, he asked, "Is she gonna be okay?" He sounded worried. Yahiko hadn't seen the girl, but saw the excessive blood on Sanosuke's white shirt.

Sanosuke chose not to reply and just sat there chewing a strand of wheat, and looked at the stars. He shivered a little either from seeing so much blood, or the fact he didn't have any shirt on since it was being washed. Kaoru turned towards Yahiko looking worried, but gave a brave face, "I'm… I'm sure she'll be fine, Dr. Genzai and Megumi are wonderful doctors. Right Kenshin?" she turned to look at Kenshin.

He was standing still, leaning against the wall and staring directly ahead. His eyes seemed to be glittering in the light of the moon. A dangerously cold glitter.

Kaoru said again tentatively, "K- …Kenshin?"

He suddenly snapped out of his reverie and reverted to his normal face when he turned to Kaoru, "Oh yes, I'm sure Dr. Genzai and Megumi will do just fine." Then facing back towards the sky, he gave a little chuckle that sounded tense even when he was trying to keep the worry out of his voice, "Of course, I didn't see how badly injured the young lady was, nor did I see who she was…" He trailed off, not knowing what else to say, "…I'm sure she'll be fine."

Kenshin went quiet again looking off into the distance.

Kaoru stared at Kenshin for a while longer, feeling that something was not quite right about his demeanor.

………………

In the room, Dr. Genzai had finally managed to stop most of the bleeding and bandage up the wounds that weren't so deep while Megumi was stitching up the wound near her abdomen.

"Almost there…" murmured Megumi.

Dr. Genzai didn't reply and simply sat down, taking a cloth to wipe off the perspiration that beaded the young girl's forehead. He cringed inwardly at the world that could hurt a young child like that. 'It's evidently the handiwork of a sword, but…' Dr. Genzai thought, 'this injury had the full intention of killing her…' He shook his head, dispersing the thoughts, he'd find out later anyway.

Megumi stepped away from the girl when she finished stitching of the wound and exhaled a big sigh of relief, "She'll make it."

Dr. Genzai nodded slightly. His gaze lingered on the girl as he was still wiping off the sweat. She was starting to stir, and her muttering could be heard. Suddenly, she gave a small scream, and started tossing and turning, threatening to open her wounds again. Alarmed, Megumi and Dr. Genzai tried to hold her down, but instead of calming down, she struggled even harder, and called out in a frenzied shout, "Come back!"

Her breathing grew ragged and coarse, "NO! You can't….! Can't—leave, you can't! Don't! I—don't go! Kill—must! COME BACK!"

Megumi and Dr. Genzai were slightly alarmed at hearing her incoherent speech but held her down firmly. Her thrashing was getting wilder to the point that it became too hard for even both Megumi and Dr. Genzai to handle. As blood droplets started hitting the ground, Megumi realized that she was opening up some of her wounds again, "K-Kenshin! Sanosuke! Quick!" she shouted in alarm.

In no time the two ran into the room followed by Kaoru and Yahiko, looking extremely worried. Sanosuke and Kenshin slowed down, startled by the scene before them and at lost of what to do.

Megumi shouted over the girl's screaming, "Hold her down! I need to get something to calm her down!"

Sanosuke leapt into action, successfully pinning down her thrashing legs under his own. Just then the girl jerked her arm throwing Dr. Genzai off, and scratching Sanos's face in the process. Three lines of red appeared on his cheek where she had scratched him. He gave a small tsk and shouted for Kenshin, "C'mon, Kenshin! Get over here and hold her arms down."

No one came forward.

Sano looked back towards him, "Kenshin?"

He was staring at the girl with a half horrified, half surprised look on his face, and he didn't budge.

"Shit…" Sano muttered, "Someone get over here!"

Yahiko was just about to start forward when he heard Kenshin speak.

"Y— …"

"Did you call me?" Yahiko asked inquisitively.

Kenshin seemed flustered when he answered Yahiko, "Huh? No… sorry, it's nothing."

Suddenly, the girl's thrashing seemed to calm before Megumi even found the sedative. Sano tentatively let go of his hold on her and she was still calm. He sighed a breath of relief and said, "Hey, Kenshin, what was with that? I needed backup."

"Oh, um…"

Before he could answer, he was saved the task of doing so when the girl began to stir. Alarmed, everyone was prepared to hold her down again, but this time, she was actually waking up. Her eyes seemed strangely… blank, but still her brown eyes were cold…

"Where… where am I?" The girl looked around at her surroundings, but nothing looked familiar, nobody looked familiar, in fact…

"You're in Kamiya Dojo," Kaoru answered warmly, "My name's Kamiya Kaoru. What's yours?"

"My… name?" She looked around again, and her eyes fell onto the katana with the crimson lotus… "That's mines," she said, pointing at the sword, "but…my name… I… I don't remember." She winced at a sudden pain at her side.

Sanosuke winced slightly when he saw her wince, "So uh… what happened to you?"

The girl looked up at him inquisitively and his heart skipped a little, "You were… quite… injured, to put it nicely. But thanks to Dr. Genzai and Megumi," jerking his thumb towards the two, "you're still here."

Yahiko chipped in, "So where you from? How old are you? Are you sure you don't remember your name? OW!"

Kaoru had interrupted Yahiko by bashing him on his head, "Stop asking questions. It's rude."

But the girl had heard the words clearly, and it was visibly torturing her that she couldn't remember her name. "Well… I'm… twenty four years old…"

"**WHAAAAAT!**"

Everyone shouted simultaneously and soon the room was in an uproar of noise.

(Kaoru) "No way! You look younger than me!"

(Yahiko) "I thought you were the same age as me!"

(Sanosuke) "Wow she aged well."

"But…" she said quietly, "what's my name?" Then a bit more frantically, "I don't remember my name!"

All this time Kenshin had been unusually silent, but he started towards the door, and before he left, he said quietly, "Her name's Yukari." Then slammed the sliding door and left.

The room was quiet. Every face turned towards the door wonderingly.

Kaoru was utterly surprised, "…Kenshin?"

The girl slowly pronounced the name, testing its sound on her tongue, "Yu…ka..ri…. Yukari… that sounds… familiar… somehow."

ohohoho… I'm updating it Dx nobody's gonna review it I bet xD but I might as well finsih xD


End file.
